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	growing child consumerism

Plastics 101

If your child's toy happens to be marked with a number inside the "chasing arrows," it means it's made from:

"1" Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)--often used in soft-drink bottles
"2" High-density polyethylene (HDPE)--often used for milk, juice, and other drinks, as well as detergent containers
"3" Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or vinyl--used for a wide variety of items, from siding and flooring to toys, packaging, etc.
"4" Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)--made into flexible products like grocery bags, shrink wrap
"5" Polypropylene (PP)--also has various uses, from food containers to toys
"6" Polystyrene (PS), often known by the trade name Styrofoam. Often used for food containers, foam coffee cups, etc.
"7" Mixed resins or "other" resins, such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS)

Polyethylene and polypropylene are the simplest plastics, requiring fewer additives and processing, and therefore, considered by some to be safer--although not necessarily safe. A nonexhaustive but nevertheless informative list of PVC and non-PVC toys was compiled by Greenpeace International and is easily available on the Internet at www.greenpeace.org/~comms/pvctoys/index.html. You can also find information on different kinds of plastics under Plastics Resource: www.plasticsresource.com.